RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I often get asked which bread is the better of the ones available in supermarkets. It’s a tough question, everyone has different needs and tastes. All you really need in most recipes to make bread is flour, water, yeast, salt. Breads these days have long and complicated ingredients lists. These extra ingredients are usually added to help improve the taste, texture, shelf life or nutritional profile of the bread so that,“we” consumers will find it more appealing.
I know not everyone has the time or inclination to make their own bread, so I have a few points to look for when choosing bread.
Look at the labels because when choosing bread, most people look for healthy sounding labels.
“Multi-Grain” and “Multi-seeded” for example, and these can be high in saturated fats.
Many rye breads have very little fibre and the first few ingredients are usually unbleached enriched flour. The second ingredient is usually water, and the third, rye flour, look for “WHOLE GRAIN RYE” near the top of the ingredient list.
“Wheat flour”—is just another code name for white flour. Look for “WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR”
Seeing high fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar, and other sweeteners at the top of the ingredients list is a red flag.
The ingredients are listed in order of amounts, so if sugar is the first ingredient then that is the bulk of that food, always look at the ingredients.
Seek breads that have at least two to three grams of fibre and three to five grams of protein per slice.
I use oats ground into a flour instead of commercial flours, it is heavier and takes longer to cook, but it is amazing.
Also the family can have it for breakfast or in lunch boxes. It is nut free but again you can add what you like. My other favourite is adding walnuts to the banan bread mix.
Here is the recipe for the chocolate chip banana bread that was on facebook and instagram.
900g (2lb) loaf tin, 17 x 9 x 9cm (6½ x 3½ x 3½in) base measurement.
If you are interested in any of the other breads in the photo they are all available in my cookbook. “The only F words you need in the kitchen” at amazon.co.uk
RECIPE
4 bananas and 200ml almond unsweetned milk blended together with 2 scoops of protein powder. (We use pea protein or soya)
Set aside
2 cups oats ground into oat flour using the blender. (15 seconds roughly on high) One large farm egg. Add banana mix and whisk until smooth.
1/4 tsp chinese five spice or plain cinnamon.
Add a handful of chocolate chips and bake 180 degrees in the centre of the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Keep checking the middle is cooked, it should be moist but not wet.
Serve warm.
DANGER: delicious
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